Documentary Photographer based in Mexico

alex@alexcoghe.com

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There are cameras specifically thare are most indicated for street photography. I have my ideas how a camera should be when it comes to street photography. With this post I want to present 10 digital cameras I recommend, based on their features.

Street Photography is not macro photography, and not even architecture where the photographer require certain characteristics. Street Photography is focused on catching the moment, telling a story, and as street photographers we are looking for the spontaneous, often the imperfection can be the added value, and the street photographer finds himself often photographing suddenly, in a action-reaction, where the instinct is a fundamental component. We can affirm that a street photographer is a photographer different from the others.

We read often the camera is not very important, and I agree, but just in part with this statement. As photographers focused on content and telling a story we can pretty much use whatever works for us. And I recommend to people asking me about a camera, first of all, to analyze themselves as photographers, their approach and then to choose the camera that best meets their attitudes.

As a street photographer I ask to a camera some features, fundamental for me. A street photography camera, in my opinion, has some “must have”. These factors can not be in discussion and I can’t accept compromises. I would say there are features always sought by the general public, in particular: ISO sensitivity, dynamic range, resolution, AF speed, continuous shooting speed… I don’t want to say they are not important factors, but not the priority for a street photographer, or better, at least a street photographer like me. So the key elements a camera for street photography should have in my opinion are:

– LIGHTNESS

I am a street photographer. Often I walk a lot, and I can be on the streets a full day. I carry my camera secured to my wrist all the time. I really need a light camera as much as possible. Best cameras for street photography are light and must feel like an extension of myself, I need almost to forget to have a camera until I decide to bring the viewfinder to my eye to point and shoot.

– OPERABILITY

What I ask to my camera for street photography is that I can use it with one hand. For this reason I prefer to choose a camera can be used in a easy way as the film cameras. My ideal camera has accessible and easy to use controls. I prefer dials and and not to get lost into complex menus.

– COMPACTNESS

A small sized camera is what I need. I require this feature, first of all, because the last thing I want to appear is like a photographer. I know, there are a lot of posers that want to appear photographers because they are not real photographers, but my way of thinking is exactly the opposite. I am not just a Downtown photographer: I take pictures in places where personal safety is not often 100% secured. I need to be stealth and very discreet. I need also my cameras not attract too much attention. A compact and inconspicuous camera is the ideal for street photography.

– SILENTNESS

OK, this is an indispensable feature. If your camera has a click too noisy is not a good street photography camera. There are many compact cameras today with inesistent noise of the shutter, others have the option to mute the shutter sound.

– GOOD ZONE FOCUS SYSTEM

Another essential feature. I need to work with cameras with a good pre-set focus system. In the street I prefer to go full manual, and I don’t care that much of AF. For me, the way to go is zone focus, as I explained in this article.

– FIXED PRIME LENS

A fixed prime lens is all I need. A fast prime lens allows me to work pratically with any light condition and it represents the ideal solution for street photography. I am used to work with a 28mm or 35mm. No need more than this.

Down below I made a selection of digital cameras that I consider great tools for street photography in 2015; don’t expect to find a DSLR by the moment this list is made by me and my preferences don’t consider DSLRs. My selection has been made considering the features of the cameras, without a direct experience with many of them.

LEICA Q

If you ask me I can’t afford a camera at that price. But with Q, Leica seems to be very close to the perfect digital camera for street photography. Essential as a Leica camera, a light full-frame with a prime lens, currently is the dream camera for many street photographers around the world. In fact the camera is already selling pretty well, despite the price, 4000 Euro… With this camera, Leica is pointing a path.

Still a Leica. Leica D-Lux represents my dream camera: I mean, I would not mind a Leica Q or a Leica M, but I would not risk to take in certain neighborhoods those cameras. Leica D-Lux could represent the first Leica camera to know certain Mexican barrios. The Leica D-Lux features a Four Thirds sensor and its diagonal measuring precisely one-half of the 35 mm format diagonal, so also the image quality for this compact camera is fantastic. If I had this camera I could forget my Ricoh as a everyday camera.

A credible alternative to Leica? Fujifilm. They are proposing fantastic solutions especially dedicated to photojournalists and street photographers. I tested the Fujifilm X100S for a month, and I can ensure the digital rangefinder by Fuji is one of the best digital cameras ever produced. In a month I could not find fault, almost for the features I ask to a camera and I enjoyed completely the experience. I come from film photography and, hey, shooting with a Fujifilm camera is an experience very close to this. I love the sensation when I have the camera in my hands: it has been love at first sight. Well done, Fujifilm!!! Now I need to have a Fujifilm camera!

Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II

AsI said I am not an AF addicted, but if I should decide to work with a super-AF camera this small and pretty well built camera could be the choice. I was an Olympus user and I know the great quality produced from this brand. I have friends that are street photographers and they are very happy with this camera. I believe them.

Well as one of the first photographers to believe to Olympus with the Pen I decided to insert in the list also the new Pen E-P5. My shooting experience with the first Olympus Pen (E-P1) has been excellent: it was the prime camera when I became a pro. I am pretty sure the camera has just improved. today I could use this camera as a second camera to have with me in my bag.

Another camera I did have in a previous edition (LX3) but this is one of the best compact cameras ever made. With a Leica DC lens and manual controls this camera can represent a fantastic solution for street photographers. another camera to carry everywhere.

Well, with ricoh we are talking about a a myth for street photographers. A tradition started with the point & shoot film cameras to continue with the GRD series. The evolution of that series is called GR, proposing an aps-c sensor. One of the things of Ricoh GR is its look because inexperienced people mistakes herit for a supermarket cheap digital camera. When Ricoh is a cult brand for street photography. The snap focus feature is a great system and I love also the fact I can save 3 programs to have always the camera ready to shoot. And then, a camera with a fixed lens… LOVE.

Oh, I know, someone will ask about Canon G…but I prefer the Fujifilm. It is a fantastic compact camera with interesting solutions for us (as the possibility of memorize the favourite focal range) and it can represent a good second camera for your bag.

Hi Alex
Great list of cameras here. The only one I’ve used is the ricoh gr which I loved. I use to shoot with a sony a7 and a 35mm lens. The camera is pretty noisy but I don’t really mind as long as other people don’t 🙂
I also use the sony Rx100m3 which is almost perfect for street.
I’d like to test a fuji x100t, I always read very good reviews about this camera.
Just my 2 cents here. Very good post, as usual 🙂

Hi, Giuseppe. Thanks for your 2 cents. Very appreciated. Yeah, Sony and the noisy shutter sound is annoying, almost for me.
Let me say Fujifilm represents a great choice especially if you love to shoot at night, in fact not many say this, but the camera produces rich colors and great results at night. And as I said the sensations are something very close to use a film camera.

i’m nikon user for 3 years when started photography it’s my friend recommendation and I read the review make me satisfied but in the long run when you getting older about photography hahaha I think weight is matter here I really love nikon D800+24-70mm VR 70-200mm VRII and all people talking this Fuji series and sony A6000 and then I bought the two camera just to try it sony A6000 and Fuji X-E2 until now am happy to used it and love it. but still keep the old big one for my work.

Thanks, Elmer, for your comment. I think to the end the choice of a camera is something personal. No matters how marketing or friends can influence you. It depends by your appraoch, your operativity, what you are doing with photography and what you want by your photography.
I know people that can get horrified because I talk about full manual in the streets, others will not agree that in this list I did not include not even a DSLR…I now thare are photographers using DSLRs for street photography, I have also a friend taking pictures with me is doing it, but I could not…I need to go zone focus, I need to have a optical viewfinder, I need to have a light, small and discret camera.

Nice list. I have the DLUX (Typ 109) and like it a lot for it’s versatility. I have shot the Fuji X100S and liked it but when I picked up a Sony RX1R, it changed everything. I love the look and function of the Leica Q, the IQ on the RX1R is insane (mark 1 – I hear Mark 2 is great but not sure I want those file sizes. My $.02 and you can get the RX1R for about the price of an X100T. Unreal. Wish it had a OVF/EVF but you get used to it and when you bring the photos up on your computer, it blows you away!

Thanks for your comment, TJ. I know, we can get used to the use without viewfinders, but you know what? I love to have a viewfinder, a OVF is my preference. This is the reason I choose to buy a Fuji X20 selling my Ricoh GRD IV.

I enjoy both your street photography and the advice you openly provide in terms of techniques, cameras, and settings.

I see you have added a Fuji X20. So do you have that new camera along with your X100S and Leica X2? (I’m curious and trying to make sense of the posts you have written about the X100S, which you seem to love, and the X2, which you seem to like less.

Hi, Ramosa. Thanks for your comment. I added the Fuji X20 by the moment I prefer to have a camera with a built in viewfinder. for this reason I sacrificed the excellent Ricoh GRD IV. another reason is because I love the Fuji concept, their system, pratically similar to any X series camera. And I need a camera a little bit more compact when I work in the barrios.
About X100S vs X2. Leica X2 is an excellent camera for street photography, but I think X100S is superior. I love the jpg quality of Leica but you need to take in account some issues: Leica X2 is slow after a shot, and you need to consider I use Manual Focus with both the cameras. The buffer lag of X2 doesn’t allow me to be ready to take immediately another shot and this is one of the reasons I prefer X100S. Also, X2 is conceived as a compact camera: I can not manage anthing through the lens, something pretty different from X100S provided with a focus ring.

Thanks to you. I am happy when I receive comments like yours and I hope always to be useful for my followers and readers.

Flint

1 years ago

Hi Alex,

Just found your site, am enjoying it, so Thank you for creating it.

I would like to open a discussion! I am getting confused as a photographic beginner! Not so much about how to take photos, but by the products to choose from based on reviews by users more professional than myself.

What do I mean? Am I having a go at the professionals? Not really, but more at the manufacturers! Photographers can only review whats on offer, but manufacturers have the ability to provide better products. They certainly have had a reasonably long time to do just that but are they really doing it?

I have been looking for a more ‘advanced’ camera. I currently use (for the last 2 years) the original Sony DSC-RX100 with the 1″ sensor and it has been a champ, however I now want to gain ‘more’ detail, for example when photographing close ups of pets / animals / people – street photography included. The Sony does provide detail and some readers may say there is no point getting a larger sensor camera, but heres the thing, for street photography I crave more detail for larger prints. Soooo…I decided to hunt down the offerings for an APS-C sized sensor in a compact body.

After reading all the reviews it soon became clear that there are two cameras which commonly appear in reviews.

The Ricoh GRII and the Fuji X70 – both similar sensors and both ‘similar’ physical body sizes – both seemingly perfect for my requirements.

Here’s the thing that confuses me. We are in 2016 (!) not 1916 and not 1816 and yet these two ‘professional (?)’ cameras have glaring faults – at least according to the reviews…It’s frustrating when the technology is out there that the Ricoh GRII suffers from ‘dust on the sensor’ issues and the Fuji X70 from ‘soft images’ when compared to the Ricoh GRII.

I would have thought (remember, I’m a confused beginner!) that (for street photography at least) manufacturers would ensure not only solid cameras but image clarity and weather robustness? I am confused how in this day and age these ‘faults’ can exist!?

So, as a beginner, I would have expected image clarity to be ‘crystal clear’ with the ability or option to soften the images after the event by using software and that cameras of this level surely should be dust proof? I do realise that some folks will prefer ‘soft’ images, but at least they have the option to soften them with software (I personally prefer detail from the start). I also can’t imagine anyone wants dust on their sensor.

The more I have looked at all the reviews I am now completely put off buying either of these 2 cameras and can not understand how manufacturers can allow this state of play?

Hi, Flint. I read your comment while I have open an image fro Richard Kalvar. It is a soft, blurry picture, of course made with a film camera. So I wonder if the necessity to have an exagerated sharpness is something of our times because we are used to see the picture at 200% on a retro-illuminated monitor.
I have a Leica X2 too: I mean a 3000 Euro valued camera (when they released) and using it only JPG. Image is soft and I love it, because at certain settings, believe me, it seems like film photos scanned.

Where is the truth? I really don’t know…but maybe we became too affected by a digital vision.

About the dust, you are right…need to say, never did have these issues, despite in the past I worked for 3 years with a Ricoh GRD IV camera…maybe I am lucky, or maybe never made at test at f22…